Just added to my Teachers Pay Teacher Store:

(Oh and it's on sale August 2nd - 3rd!)

I'm having a SALE! August 22 - 23 Save 20% off my Entire TPT Store!

Click HERE or on the picture below to shop!  

Everything is already reduced 20% both days, but you can save an additional 5% on Tuesday, August 22nd when you use code "BTSBONUS" at checkout.

Back To School FREEBIE and BIG SALE News!

It's SALE TIME!  Save 25% August 1st - 2nd on EVERYTHING in my TPT shop.  Everything is already discounted 20% but you can take an additional 5% off when you use code "BTS2017" at checkout!

I've just added a few new items to my shop:

 LOTS of Binder Cover Sets

 Dolch AND Fry Sight Word Activities

Editable Items

AND MORE :)

While you are shopping, grab this FREEBIE:

Click on the picture above to get it :)

Happy Shopping!!!

ANOTHER Back To School FREEBIE & Enter my raffle!!!

I have tons of Dolch Sight Word resources in my TPT store but have been asked by several people to add some Fry Word resources.  I have recently added two new Fry Word kits (which are also available in Dolch Words):  (Click on the pictures for more info)

Crack the Code - The First 100 Fry Words.

This is also available for Dolch Sight words:

 and

Read It, Build It, Write It - The First 300 Fry Words

This is also available for Dolch Words:

I'll be adding more Fry resources soon....

Don't forget to enter my raffle for 5 FREE Products from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!  You can pick any five you'd like!  I've got some GREAT bundles - that's what I'd probably choose, if it were me :)  AND this:

Just click here (on the pic below) to go to my raffle:

and last, I have ANOTHER Back to School Freebie!  Click on the pictures to get either or both:

 Here's the other Back to School Freebie that I posted last week: 

For more Back to School resources:

"First Day of First Grade" sign FREEBIE

Each year on the first day of school I take an individual photo of each child holding up a sign that says "My First Day in First Grade".  I upload the photos to Sams Club or Target to have them developed and send them home to parents sometime during the first week (usually on the Friday of the first week).  Parents love getting these photos!  I made a few signs - first started with a chalkboard style, then decided something colorful may be better....anyway, I put them up on my Teachers Pay Teachers store for FREE if you'd like one.  And a little tip...print on cardstock if possible, it'll hold up better :)

Also....Don't forget to enter my raffle right here for a three month subscription to FarFaria!!!  This is a SWEET prize!!!

By the way, I'm all ready for the BIG sale at Teachers Pay Teachers!!!  All of my products will be 20% off , BUT you can save 28% at my store on August 4-5 by entering the promo code BTS14 at checkout!!!!

Get your shopping cart ready!

Back to School Freebie for the First Week of School

I was going through some photos tonight and found this picture of my desk that I took on the first day of school last year. The photo was taken at 7:44 - about 15 minutes before students started to arrive.  

My computer shows what was being projected on my white board :)  How exciting!

I have a Back To School Freebie for you.  I use this each year during the first week of school.  Its a fun activity and a little bit of a time filler since I call the students up one at a time to select their transportation card, put it in the pocket chart, walk back to their seat and call the next student.  (I love how we can take our time and not worry about rushing to get everything crammed in during the first week of school.)  I go first to model picking a card and putting it in the correct spot, etc...

After everyone is finished, we analyze our data.  We count the cards for each column and I write the totals on the board.  We talk about which one had the most, which had the least.  We make tally marks to represent the numbers, talk a bit about greater than/less than, etc....  Then we talk about graphing our data and use this worksheet:

You can click on the photos or here to get this free "How Do We Get To School" graphing activity from my store at Teachers Pay Teachers.  It includes the picture cards and labels for your pocket chart and the graphing worksheet.

 I have some more back to school freebies that I will be posting on my blog in the next two weeks, so make sure to check back!!!!

Magic Playdoh - First Day Fun {Free Printables}

Well, this year I got lazy.  I usually make the playdough for Magic Playdough from scratch but I decided to buy it this year because I saw this on Amazon for $10 (with free two day shipping for Prime Members).  I figured by the time I drove to the grocery store and bought what I needed to make it, it would cost about that much anyway.

Click here to see it on Amazon:

If you do Magic Playdough I have some free printables below.  If you don't, YOU SHOULD!!!  It's such a fun first day activity and my students LOVE it!!!  I even have a horror story about the year that I forgot to put the food coloring in some of the playdough balls.....but I won't get into that :)

If you've never done Magic Playdough before, here's how it works:  Roll up some playdough balls and poke a hole in the middle with your finger. In the hole put about 2-3 drops of food coloring and then take a piece of white playdough and cover up the hole.  Don't squeeze because you don't want the food color to show through the playdough.  I then put each ball into a separate quart-size baggie and put the "Magic Playdough" poem label (see below) on the front of the baggie.  Actually I put the labels on the front of the baggies before putting the playdough in, much easier that way.

In class I put the large poem (below) under the document camera and I read it, we all read it and talk about it.  Then I give every student a baggie and tell them not to touch it until I say so.  When they all get their baggies I tell them to go and they squish and squeeze the playdough ball - while it is still inside the baggie (I don't let them take it out until they get home - food coloring stains!).  They are all excited to find that their playdough was "Magic" and they will all have a great year when they see the color change.

Here are the printables I made for this - you can click on these to go to Google Docs and download them if you'd like to use them:

This is the poem I use under the document camera:

Here are the labels I put on the baggies.  These print on Avery 5163 labels (or you could print on paper or cardstock and staple or glue to the baggie).

If you aren't lazy and want to make the playdough from scratch, here's the recipe I have used:

“Magic” Playdough

Playdough Recipe
You will need:
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
food coloring

What to do:
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add the “wet” ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture forms into a ball (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from pan on to floured surface. Cool slightly. Then knead it until smooth. Store in ziplock bag or airtight container in the fridge.

How to add the “magic”:
Form the playdough into ball shapes. Poke a hole in the ball and put 2 or 3 drops of food coloring in the hole. Form the playdough back into a ball again, covering the drops of food coloring.

First Day of School Deskmat and "Stamp an Equation" Freebie

I used to buy deskmats similiar to this, but this year I decided to make them myself.  I give this to my students on the first day of school to keep them busy while I sort out the school supplies they've brought in.  This is to be printed on LEGAL-SIZED PAPER (8.5 x 14).  I have these for First and Second Grade up on my Teacher's Pay Teachers sight for only $1.00.

*Print on LEGAL size paper!

Also,
Did you get any of these stamps from the Target Dollar Spot?

I made a quick sheet to go with them.  You can click on it if you'd like to download it.

  Have a SUPER weekend!!!  This is my last week of vacation (even though I worked all week).  This, by far, was the shortest summer EVER!